On racedays, he is a cheerleader, a counselor, a singer (if you call the “Chicken Dance,” which he has been known to sing over the radio, a song), a giver-and-taker of messages, a comedian and a friend. Above all else, though, Bill O’Dea (“Spotter Billy” to his fans) is Kevin Harvick’s most trusted set of eyes - other than his own of course.

O’Dea and Harvick have worked together for years, with O’Dea functioning as Harvick’s Sprint Cup Series spotter since 2004. O’Dea has guided Harvick to some incredible finishes and gained a fan following of his own in the process.

Born and raised in Victor, New York, O’Dea got bitten by the racing bug when he was twelve years old.

“My neighbor was building a race car,” O’Dea explained. “I would hold the roll bars in place while he welded them and was over there every second I could. I used to sneak to the races and then sneak into the pits to help out any way I could. I later built a car that I raced at the same track.”

His hobby became a profession in 1995, when he started at Richard Childress Racing (RCR) with Mike Dillon. He followed Dillon (Childress’ son-in-law) to Parker Racing that year, returning to RCR in 1998 to work on the No. 31 car.

Two years later, while working as a mechanic specializing in brakes and suspension, O’Dea had his first experience as a spotter, assisting Mike Skinner at tracks where two spotters were required (Daytona, Talladega and road courses). He became a primary spotter towards the end of the 2002 season, working with Harvick in the Cup Series for the final six races of the year.

“Kevin wanted me to become the full-time spotter for the next season,” O’Dea said. “However, the crew chief at the time, Gil Martin, didn’t want me out of the garage not working on the car during practice. In 2004, when Kevin and his spotter parted ways, Kevin asked Todd Berrier (crew chief) if I could spot the races and remain in the garage during practice. I did that up until the end of last year. Now I spot all practices and races, including the Nationwide Series events. I still work on the car at the track, but it’s very limited.”

O’Dea and Harvick have a solid working relationship that allows for great communication on the radio. They mesh well as partners, navigating through races that can sometimes last for several hours. Occasionally, they’ll have fun…sometimes at the expense of others.

“I have been a wiseass my entire life and I believe Kevin has been as well,” O’Dea explained. “I have fun in just about everything I do in life and that carries over into my job, so I guess during the race we team up on everybody else. We don’t mean anything by it; we are just having fun.”

However, O’Dea is not exempt from occasional tongue-lashings from Harvick in the heat of battle.

“I don’t get upset with what Kevin says on the radio,” O’Dea said. “I played sports since I was old enough to catch a ball and I am able to take constructive criticism. If you get two competitive people together and things aren’t going exactly right, you should expect the other to let you know about it. Kevin is the team leader and if you have ever watched the defense on a football team play bad, well, the middle linebacker isn’t just standing there with nothing to say.”

Regardless of any disagreements they may have over the radio, O’Dea truly enjoys being Kevin’s spotter.

“What I like best about being Kevin’s spotter is that during every race, no matter where it is, we have a chance to win,” he said. “There aren’t many spotters up there who can say that.”

Speaking of wins, when O’Dea was asked about his greatest moment while as Kevin’s spotter, he was quick to answer.

“That would be winning the Daytona 500. Kevin drove like he was possessed that day. He did things that were great in those last few laps, while I was like a high school cheerleader up there. To win that great race and be that close at the finish was overwhelming.”

It was O’Dea’s “cheerleading” in the closing two laps of that race that caused his popularity among Harvick fans to soar. O’Dea had always been a fan favorite – with antics like singing the “Chicken Dance” over the radio simply because it was in his head or taking note of where a stockpile of brooms are located so he could steal them for the victory lane celebration in case of a ‘sweep’ – but it was his complete inability to keep the excitement out of his voice as he guided Harvick through the final two laps of the Daytona 500 that shot him into the stratosphere.

As the 500 drew to its incredible close, O’Dea’s voice increased in both volume and pitch with each passing second as Harvick charged towards the front.

“Come on, come on, give it all you’ve got, it’s the Daytona 500 baby!”

As soon as Kevin crossed the finish line the victor, O’Dea whooped and cheered more like a fan than a spotter. A fan on Harvick’s website later posted a video of the final two laps with O’Dea’s spotter audio included, and it brought goosebumps to the skin of anyone who watched it.  (Click here to watch.)

In the year that followed, O’Dea helped guide Harvick to a tenth-place finish in Sprint Cup Series points. Though the season proved frustrating at times, O’Dea was a constant voice of reassurance for Harvick, coming from high above the stands. As Harvick sits fifth in points eight races into the 2008 season, O’Dea remains a cheerleader when Harvick needs it, a counselor when tough times call for one, a singer if the mood strikes, a giver-and-taker of messages as dictated by his driver, a comedian by nature, a friend by heart and – most importantly – a second pair of trusted, reliable eyes.

Click Here To Read A Q&A With Bill O'Dea